Inked. ▶ SOULMATES

BLUE

HIS SKIN TINGLED with anticipation.  His heart trapping itself within a single beat.  They're near.  Lucas grasped the plastic bag he carried tighter—his nails prying into seven layers of flesh.  He could feel the presence of his soulmate.  He could feel him.  He wanted to speak, to say something, anything to draw his soulmate out of the shadows.  But anxiety held his tongue.  Speak.  "Don't you love me?" Lucas winced at his tone.  High pitched, and girl-like, his words trembled.  "Why— Why don't you love me?"

Lucas' stare was blurred with tears that would never shed.

"...Why?"

It was only when his phone rang, that he woke.

It wasn't real, Lucas thought slowly.  The sound of disappointment raw in his own mind.  They weren't there.

The phone continued to ring.

For a moment, Lucas wanted nothing more than to throw the items across the room.  He wanted it to break.  He wanted it to shatter.  He wanted a release.  But, as his fingers made contact with the cool glass, he felt the fight within him fade.  "... Hello?" Lucas called out into the other line, his voice low and rough. 

"Is this Lucas Wheeler?"  The voice that had traveled through the line had sounded familiar, though, not immediately identifiable.

Lucas twirled a loose thread of his blanket around his finger—the string carving itself on his skin.  "Yes?" He answered, the 'e' stretching on his tongue with hesitance.

"Hi, I'm your friend Natalia's soulmate, Lydia.  You might know me, we used to go to high school together.  I graduated last year."

"... S— Soulmate?"

Lucas' heart stilled.

His actions halting.

"Are— Are you serious?"

"You said you'd let me tell him! He's my best friend!" A voice clashes from behind Lydia.  Lucas winced at the sudden rising of tone, stretching the phone further away from himself.  "Yeah, well you told Kye!" Lydia defended, the faintness of her voice making Lucas suspect she'd held the phone away from her mouth.  "So, now, I'm telling Lucas!"

"Kye was there when we found out!  I didn't tell him!"

Lydia was silent for a moment, almost dumbfounded at the fact. "... Oh," there was a sudden bashfulness held in Lydia's tone as she chortle.  "Right."  Lucas imagined reddened cheeks.   "Um, I gotta go, Lucas.  Here."

Lucas' lips parted to speak, but before he could, Natalia spoke.  "Lucas!  Can you believe it?  I found her!"

"Actually, I found you!" Lucas heard someone, probably Lydia, interject.

"Lydia!  Let me have my moment!"  Natalia was silent for a moment, awaiting to see if Lydia would speak, but Lydia remained mute.  "Anyways," Natalia giggled, lwe're going out drinking to celebrate!" she exclaimed, her words tumbling from her tongue in a excitements rush. "To get to know each other—you should come.  Her friends coming, too."

"Her friends doing what, now?"

Lucas frowned at the newest voice of a stranger.  "Wouldn't that be awkward—who else are you with, anyways?"

"Kye, it will be fun!"

"My soulmate," Natalia huffed; Lucas could practically see Natalia roll her eyes as she added, "duh."

"I meant the guy," Lucas explained, hardly amused.

"—Ow! Woman!"

"Oh," Natalia giggles at the mention of the boy. "Lydia's best friend."

"I'm starting to re-think the best friend part!" Lydia called out through the commotion.

"As am I!"